Fireman&#39;s respirator.



No. 042,057.. Patented Jan. 23, I900. R. VON WALBHER-UYSDAL &. G. GAERTNER.

FIREHANS RESPIRATOR.

{Application filed Dec. 10, 1896.)

(No Model.)

' 4 NORRIS PETERS co. PHOYO-LIT wAsumm'nn, u. c

NrTn STATES PATENT OFFICE,

RUDOLF VON \VALCHER-UYSDAL AND GUSTAV GAERTNER, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO GUSTAV BENDA, OF

SAME PLACE.

FIREMANS RESPIRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,057, dated January 23, 1900.

Application filed December 10, 1896. Serial No. 615,130. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, RUDoLF VON WAL- OHER-UYSDAL and GUSTAV GAERTNER, subjects of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Vienna, in the Province of Lower Austria, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus Serving to Enable Respiration in Localities Filled with Noxious Gases, (for which Letters Patent have been obtained in the following countries, to wit: Austria, registered Vol. 45, Fol. 4,323, dated November 16, 1895; Germany, No. 88,703, dated May 21, 1895; France, No. 25%002, dated February 15, 1896; Belgium, No. 119,852, dated February 17, 1896, and Great Britain, No. 3,494, dated February 15, 1896 and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to respirators or apparatus for enabling persons to breathe in an atmosphere of irrespirable or poisonous gases, and has for its objects to enable persons to breathe for a considerable time when in the practice of theirprofession they are suddenly and unexpectedly deprived of air under circumstances in which a rescue appears impossible in the moment of danger, to rescue persons who are not provided with such apparatus and who are suddenly deprived of air by enabling other persons fitted out with such apparatus to penetrate in the shortest possible time into the poisonous atmosphere, and thereby rescue the persons overcome by the same, and to protect or save property under similar circumstances to those mentioned above. The apparatus thus serves as a lifesaving and salvage apparatus for immediate use when necessity arises.

The apparatus is more particularly designed for use by miners who after an explosion arising from firedamp or coal-dust or on the occasion of a fire or a flood find themselves unexpectedly, without being able to communicate directly with the outer world, in an atmosphere of poisonous gases, such as chokedamp, in which case they can breathe for a considerable length of time without any help from outside or they can save themselves by proceeding to a part of the mine which contains fresh air. The apparatus is also useful to enable miners forming a rescuing party to bring help in the shortest possible time, and, further, it is adapted for use by firemen at fires to enable them to remain in rooms filled with smoke and for other similar purposes.

The apparatus consists, essentially,of a gastight sack or bag provided with a tube having a mouthpiece or a mask, such as is used in dentistry, the said bag being provided for the purposes of the invention with oxygen or air in such quantity that when it is blown out the oxygen or air contained therein can be inhaled by the user.

The main feature of the invention is that the air exhaled by the user passes into the bag through the same opening as the air or oxygen inhaled from the bag at normal pressure and that the carbonic-acid gas contained in the air exhaled is absorbed when entering the sack or bag, so that the air or oxygen breathed into the lungs is not rendered impure by the carbonic acid exhaled. For this purpose the interior of the bag is provided with a layer 1) of a material which absorbs liquidfor instance, with a lining of fustian, flannel, or'any other suitable porous material-and this material is soaked with any known agent for absorbing carbonic acid, such as solutions of caustic soda or caustic potash, milk of lime, or the like. This is best carried out by pouring a liquid of the kind above described into the bag, the rough inner lining of which offers a large surface to the liquid, which is therefore immediately soaked up and forms a large absorbent surface for the carbonic acid. Injury to the person employing the apparatus through the liquid introduced into the bag is not possible, because the said liquid is mechanically retained in the bag. It will be obvious that such an absorbent surface could be introduced into the bag in another form--for in stance, in the form of wicks, nets, threads,

wadding, wood fiber, and the like. The liquid can also be stored in a vessel arranged inv state in a vessel which can be either put into or cut off from communication with the bag, or the oxygen can be obtained by chemical means and at the moment when it is required can be allowed to stream into the bag. The vessels for containing the oxygen and the alkaline solution are advantageously placed in or near the bag.

To enable our invention to be fully understood, we will describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of our improved apparatus packed up for wear. Fig. 2 is a view of the said apparatus, showing the same in use. Fig. 3 is a View of the apparatus, drawn to an enlarged scale. Figs. 4 and 5 show, respectively, modifications of the apparatus and of the vessel containing the alkaline solution.

A, Fig. 3, is a metal vessel provided with a cut-off cook, the said vessel being of ordinary construction and adapted for containing compressed oxygen.

. B is the bag or sack for the reception of the oxygen at the proper pressure for inhalation and of the air exhaled from the lungs, the said bag being connected with the vessel A by a flexible tube a. This bag is lined on the interior with a material easily absorbing liquids and rough, so as to present a large surface, as shown at b, Figs. 3 and 4;, the said material being preferably fustian. A monthpiece 0 or a mask is connected to the sack or bag by means of a single tube, which serves as a passage .both for the air inhaled and exhaled and is not provided with a'cock or valve or other cut-off device.

Into the bag B we introduce the vessel D, containing the alkaline solution, (the said vessel being preferablyintroduced through a lateral slit adapted to be closed by the clamp E,) which vessel consists of a glass tube d, which is first filled with the alkaline solution and then scaled up. The glass tube at is fitted into the wooden frame d and can be smashed in order to allow the solution to flow out of the tube by operating a lever 01 as shown in Fig. 3, or a screw, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the position of which can be easily ascertained through the sack.

In some cases we employ the arrangement alkaline solution and the oxygen vessel A are both introduced into the bag or sack and can be brought into operation by operating the valve-handles from the outside.

When not required for use, the apparatus can be folded up, so as to occupy a small space, and be placed in aknapsack or satchel adapted to be strapped to the body, so that when an explosion of fire-damp or other accident occurs the bag can be quickly removed, the glass tube d smashed, and the admission of oxygen started, whereby the apparatus is immediately made ready for use.

Our improved apparatus is not only simple and easy to handle, but is also compendious and can be easily carried, so that a man can carry it daily with him during his work without being hindered in the performance of the same.

The apparatus remains unaltered in working condition for a long time and fulfils all the requirements of a good life-saving or selfpreserving apparatus, so as to enable a person to escape from a room which becomes suddenly filled with noxious gases or to enable him to remain for a considerablelength of time in such a room.

We claim-- 1. In apparatus such as described, a fluidtight bag adapted to be supported from the person and provided with a valveless inhaling-tube also serving to conduct the exhaled air into the bag, a breakable vessel therein for the reception of a liquid absorbent of or binding agent for carbonic acid, means substantially such as described for shattering the vessel, a vessel for the reception of oxygen, and a valved connection between said vessel and the bag, for the purpose set forth.

2. In apparatus such as described, a fluidtight bag adapted to be supported from the person and provided with a valveless inhaling-tube also serving to conduct the exhaled air into the bag, and with an absorbent lining, a breakable vessel therein for the reception of a liquid absorbent of or binding agent for carbonic acid, a vessel for the reception of oxygen likewise contained in thebag, and a valved connection between the two controllable from without such bag, for the purpose set forth.

3. In apparatus such as described, a fluidtight bag adapted to be supported from the person and provided with a valveless inhaling-tube serving also to conduct the exhaled air into the bag, and with an absorbent lining, a breakable vessel for the reception of a liquid absorbent of or binding agent for carbonic acid, an open holder attached in the bag for the reception of said vessel, means for shattering the same adapted to be manipulated from without the bag, and means for supplying oxygen to the bag and for regushown in Fig. 4, in which the vessel D for the lating the supply, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

RUDOLF VON WALOHER-UYSDAL. GUSTAV GAERTNER. Witnesses:

HARRY BELMONT, DETTLOPP MUELLER. 

